The citadel extends over a vast area, including a magnificent cathedral. The topmost buildings include Saracen walls and a Norman keep. There are three theatres or auditoria within the precinct. Allow lots of time. It closes at 1330 until after 1600. Evacuate when you hear the siren or you will be locked in!
We enjoyed our visit to the castle. We were there for nearly two hours. We arrived by walking up the coastline past all of the fishing boats and the fishermen selling fresh fish. We walked up the road that indicated it led to the stairs to the castle. Lots of stairs - but a neat way to enter. The major signs were in English. In the small museum they did not have signage in English - but you could generally understand. There was also a very nice modern bathroom just inside the entry to the Duomo Antico. The views were great - but the highlight for us was the special mask exhibit in the building right before the castle (perhaps the monastery). The artist was there and provided explanations of the masks and his heritage (in Italian and French). We were able to interpret what he was saying and thoroughly enjoyed our time together. On the way back we headed downhill through the Old Town - which was an easier walk down then the walk up. Nice day!
We left from Messina to see the Castle, we waited for the bus to come and when we arrived to the castle the staff informed us that they were going to close in 30 mins and part of the castle is closed so it's not worth it to pay admission fee, also they told us that in 30 mins we will see nothing, they suggested that we go back at 4.30pm, we left very disappointed.
Definitely worth seeing when you are in Milazzo. I recommend visiting it with a guide who can say few interesting stories about the castle and take to some interesting places you would probably miss visiting in alone. Above beautiful monuments you can enjoy even more beautiful views on the Milazzo (for example you can see two seas surrounding Milazzo at once).When you leave the castle turn right and go about 200m. You will find nice roof from which you can enjoy beautiful view on the city (I REALLY recommand it for the night with a wine).The cost of entrance was 5 or 6 euro (don't remember).
i went to the castle before it was renovated and thought it was quite amazing, now they have opened up a newly renovated portion of the ancient spanish walls, and it was quite breath taking, the view, the work,... and when we went there wasn't an entrance fee because they were having a food and wine expo, it was really nice
Did not expect that the old castle would be so interesting to explore. Inside they even have a small museum. View from the roof is breathtaking!
We found the castle by following the raid up the hill. We were the only tourists there on our visit which made it special for us. Breathtaking views of the sea and the islands. A very interesting gentleman took time to talk to us about the history of the performance and masks produced they produced for the spectacular shows they will be taking to New York !!
Absolutely to see. Huge, historically important, it really deserves a visit. The entrance is free of charge. During the summer it hosts many cultural events. The most ancient part has been recently re-opened. You cannot leave from Milazzo if you have not taken a photo from the Castle's terrace.
The castle itself is unremarkable except that the ramparts offer stunning and encompassing views of the area. I wished I'd brought a bottle of wine and some cheese to relax and soak in the views.
Maybe we arrived with high expectations. Directly related to Frederick II, I was anxious to see this prominent castle. We wandered about, trying to figure out which portion belonged to which time period. There are no signs within the castle - not even in Italian or Sicilian, let alone English. I'm glad to see that they are utilizing some of the rooms, many had tables and chairs in them, but what about the history? We entered a large hall, and a few empty small rooms, obviously old. What went on inside those rooms? What were they used for? Your imagination needs to wander, since you won't get any help from any guides or posted information. Yes, the views from the walls were magnificent, and we took a lot of pictures of the area. But, as far as the castle itself, it needs a lot of work to rank it as even adequate, let alone exceptional.